By Warren Kozireski —
Hobart became just the fourth Division III men’s hockey program to win three consecutive championships with a 2-1 overtime win at Utica Sunday night.
“I’m really happy for this group; from day one they set some impressive goals for the program and they met them,” Hobart head coach Mark Taylor said.
“To get it once is a heck of an accomplishment, to get it twice you feel very grateful and three times I thought this one was challenge met.”
After a scoreless first period, Utica took a 1-0 lead as sophomore forward Eric Vitale netted his third goal of the NCAA playoffs on a rebound with assists from sophomore forward Andrew Della Rovere and senior forward Matt Wood.
Top seed Hobart tied it at 8:35 of the third period after a neutral zone turnover. Freshman forward Easton Ryan scored with assists from senior forward Luke Aquaro and sophomore defenseman Bauer Morrissey (Skaneateles).
Hobart ended the game with 1:36 remining in the first overtime on junior forward Khalil Fontana’s goal.
“It took a weird bounce off the backwall I think and just popped off in front of the net and I saw the D trying to jump and I knew I had to get the puck on my other side and around him…then I just tried to make sure that I got that one on net,” Fontana said.
“Obviously a gut-wrencher for us, heartbreaker,” Utica head coach Gary Heenan said. “I was worried about us being in awe of that team. We had to weather the first five minutes and then I then I thought we took over. I liked our fight…I liked out game plan and that’s one helluva hockey team.”
Hobart joins Wisconsin-Stevens Pont (1989, 1990, 1991) and Middlebury twice (1995-99, 5 years and 2004, 2004, 2006) to win three consecutive titles.
(Photo by Koz, NY Hockey OnLine)
